BWT: Optimarin Inks Deal with Carisbrooke

Optimarin secured a contract with the potential to be the ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist’s biggest ever. The Norwegian business announced that it has signed a fleet agreement with UK shipowner and management company Carisbrooke for its market leading Optimarin Ballast System (OBS). The deal has the potential to encompass OBS retrofits on the firm’s entire fleet of 46 bulk and multipurpose vessels.

“This is huge development for us,” said Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen, “agreed with an established and respected shipowner, operator and manager. Our retrofit expertise was absolutely key here, as was the reliability, flexibility and market proven success of our UV-based technology.

Optimarin’s upcoming USCG approval, on schedule for later this year, played a decisive part in securing the deal, with a number of Carisbrooke vessels trading in U.S. waters. This certification, in conjunction with the IMO ratification, is proving to be an important factor in accelerating OBS sales, with recent orders confirmed with Atlantis Tankers (ten units) and Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group (nine).

As for Isle of Wight-headquartered Carisbrooke, the firm is now assessing its fleet with the prospect of commencing installations in 2017. The contracted vessels range in size from 5,000 to 20,000 dwt. Speaking of the decision to work with Optimarin as a preferred supplier, Martin Henry, Fleet Technical Director, Carisbrooke, comments: “There were multiple factors at play. USCG compliance is critical for our trading routes, as is the operational and supply chain reliability of the technology itself. However, people are also key.